Comprehensive Cancer Care at CHRISTUS

The CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Foundation (Foundation) is proud to announce major medical equipment additions to the Mamie McFaddin Ward Cancer Center and to the Cancer Floor at CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital. For the past several years, the Foundation has worked with local foundations and individual philanthropists to update these cancer care centers with state of the art equipment to offer the best in cancer detection and treatment.

In the past year alone, the Foundation has secured $486,000 in funding for the following pieces of major medical cancer equipment:

$316,000 for a 3D Breast Biopsy Guidance System and accompanying DynaCAD MRI Software. The 3D Breast Biopsy Guidance System is a minimally invasive procedure that provides more precise targeting of mammography abnormalities, resulting in improved workflow, less patient radiation dose, and shorter patient procedure time. The DynaCAD MRI Software, which is connected to the 3D Breast Biopsy Guidance System, enhances productivity and accuracy.

$118,000 for a BK Ultrasound Unit and treatment planning software. This offers a safe and effective treatment for patients who are not suitable for traditional prostate surgery. This unique ultrasound system will allow CHRISTUS to implement a robust hospital-based program that is safe, convenient, well-tolerated, and highly effective.

$52,000 grant for a Bone Density Machine – a system vital for cancer patient care – for the Cancer Floor at CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital. The new Bone Density Machine is vital to the health of our cancer patients here in the hospital. Many of the medications that cancer patients take can cause bone loss. With this system, CHRISTUS physicians can more easily detect bone loss and treat it while it is still manageable.

In addition, this Bone Density Machine will be used by physicians checking for osteoporosis in the general patient population, as well as with gastric bypass patients who are more prone to bone loss due to diet changes. As patients age, this machine assists the physicians with creating prevention plans and treatment plans.

In 2015, the Foundation secured $425,000 to purchase 3D Mammography, which presents a clearer picture to the radiologists, decreasing the number of unnecessary callbacks. The 3D Mammography is more likely to detect invasive cancer at an early stage, catching the tumor before it spreads.

In 2014, The Foundation secured another $425,000 to purchase 3D Mammography for the Mamie McFaddin Ward Cancer Center.

“The Foundation is proud to have raised over $1.3 million to help offer the best in cancer detection and treatment at our CHRISTUS facilities in Beaumont. We strive to give CHRISTUS patients peace of mind knowing they are getting the highest quality in cancer care right here at home,” said Ivy Pate, Foundation President.